Sure enough, those rumors that the San Diego Padres and Manny Machado hadn’t actually cut off extension talks yet were true.
Because the Padres have done it again:
Machado, 30, would have had five years and $150 million remaining on his original deal with the Padres following 2023, when he had the right to opt out. He made it clear that he intended to do so.
Thus, the Padres kept working at him to get a new deal done, and there it is. A whopper of a deal that leaves you scratching your head on how one of the smallest media markets is pulling all of this off … and then you remember that virtually any MLB team *COULD* be quite a bit more aggressive than they have been. The Padres are just a very extreme example. Good for them. They now have Machado, Tatis, Bogaerts, Darvish, and Musgrove all signed to nine-figure deals that go waaaaay into the future (and they’re still paying Cubs first baseman Eric Hosmer on his nine-figure deal). Not sure what it’ll mean for them in a few years – admittedly, it could become a problem – but right now, they’re keeping a loaded roster together.
As for the free agent market, it takes another hit. The group of possible top-tier offensive free agents after this season is remarkably thin, especially at third base where you might’ve otherwise hoped the Cubs could pursue guys like Machado and Rafael Devers, each of whom have now been extended. Heck, Ian Happ is looking more and more like he could be a top three bat, which is wild. Good for him, but probably not so good for the Cubs if they’re trying to nail down a reasonable extension right now.
Anyway. The Padres keep the foot on the gas not only for this year, but for years to come. Other fan bases look on with jealousy, and other owners probably look on with contempt. Tough noogies.
(Bonus fun: consider this another reminder what a GIFT Nolan Arenado gave the Cardinals by not opting out of his deal last year. A $200 million mistake.)